Maternal depression and low maternal intelligence as risk factors for malnutrition in children: a community based case-control study from South India
Open accessAbstract
AIMS: To determine whether current and postpartum maternal depression and low maternal intelligence are risk factors for malnutrition in children. METHODS: In rural South India 72 children with malnutrition were identified from a central register; 72 controls were matched for age, gender, and residence. RESULTS: Major depression in the postpartum period (OR 5.0, 95% CI 1.0 to 24.0), current major depression (OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.1 to 9.5), and low maternal intelligence (OR 3.8, 95% CI 1.3 to 11.1) were associated with malnutrition in the child. Low birth weight (OR 2.9, 95% CI 1.2 to 6.8) was also significantly associated with infant malnutrition. Conditional logistic regression adjusting for all other determinants yielded the following results: major depression during the postpartum period (OR 7.8; 95% CI 1.6 to 38.51), current major depression (OR 3.1; 95% CI 0.9 to 9.7), low maternal intelligence (OR 4.6; 95% CI 1.5 to 14.1), and low birth weight (OR 2.7; 95% CI 2.5 to 6.8). The interactions between current maternal depression and low birth weight and between postpartum depression and low maternal intelligence were statistically significant. The level of maternal intelligence was associated with nutritional status. The severity of malnutrition was also significantly associated with major depression during the postpartum period and low maternal intelligence. CONCLUSION: There is evidence for an association between postpartum maternal depression, low maternal intelligence, and low birth weight with malnutrition in children aged 6-12 months.
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- Authors
- Anoop, S.
- Affiliations
- Christian Medical College, Vellore (IN)
- Corresponding author
- Anoop, S
- Venue
- Archives of Disease in Childhood
- Publisher
- BMJ
- Published
- 2004-04-01
- Volume
- 89
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 325-329
- ISSN
- 0003-9888 (ISSN-L)
- 1468-2044
- PMC
- PMC1719856
- OpenAlex
- W2158246587
- Cited by
- 144
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 6
- FWCI
- 5.91
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Archives of Disease in Childhood (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- HighWire Press Open Archive (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Christian Medical College, Vellore
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Child Nutrition and Water Access
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Public Health and Nutrition
- Keywords
- maternal depression, postpartum depression, maternal intelligence, child malnutrition, low birth weight, infant malnutrition, risk factors, rural South India, maternal mental health
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Female, Humans, India, Infant, Infant Nutrition Disorders, Infant, Low Birth Weight, Infant, Newborn, Intelligence, Male, Pregnancy, Risk Factors, Rural Health, Odds Ratio, Case-Control Studies, Depression, Postpartum
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